S09.E19: CHiPs and Salsa

[Masque of Anarchy]

Quote

Haley's boss tries to buy Gloria's salsa; Mitchell gets Cam the police ride-along he's always dreamed of.

[Tanichka]

Oh my gosh, that was a boring episode.

[Robert Lynch]

What did Mira Sorvino do to her face? It looks horrible. Another plastic surgery addict. She was so pretty in the 90s.

Edited April 12, 2018 by Robert Lynch

[CleoCaesar]

Any episode with no Manny is a good one for me. And no Alex and no Joe was nice too. The less focus on the kids, the better. Because none of them can act for shit.

This one felt like old-school MF in some respects and the newer cartoonish MF in others. The Mitch and Cam stuff wasn't bad, but they should really give up on trying to make Mitchell's law career in anyway realistic. Because it's absurd.

Why does Luke "have" to go to college? He's a terrible student and has no academic ambitions. American culture has been pushing the "college is a must" for so long that so few people even question it anymore.

[ItCouldBeWorse]

Why did Cam assume that Mitch's job offer was great? A new assistant DA with absolutely no criminal law experience as either a defense attorney or a prosecutor would make a very low salary.  I don't know why Mitch's friend would even think Mitch had any talent for the position.  I personally think that the first time a criminal defendant gives Mitch a sharp look in court, he's going to freak out.

Edited April 12, 2018 by ItCouldBeWorse

[Blakeston]

Would someone please explain to Cameron that Mitch enjoying the thrill of a police chase has absolutely nothing to do with whether he would enjoy working as a prosecutor?

[readster]

2 hours ago, Blakeston said:

Would someone please explain to Cameron that Mitch enjoying the thrill of a police chase has absolutely nothing to do with whether he would enjoy working as a prosecutor?

Thank you! Because they wouldn't. Do a tour of the station and how due process works in the real world instead of what Mitch probably learned 20 years ago. But it would have ZERO to do with his job. The salary, yes because he would be brand new and it would be a major job shift. With that said, his constant unemployment is just stupid at this point. He would not have THIS much bad luck with his experience. You can't put the "less jobs for lawyers" with Mitch, he has done this too long, even had his own practice for a bit. If he was fresh out of school or going in, then he would have the problem. But I find that Cam after being out of work for so long has had so many opportunities given to him, but is still treated like crap by his superiors. But yet Mitchel has had this crap handed to him the last 3 years. No, sorry. 

[Mrs. Hanson]

18 hours ago, CleoCaesar said:

Any episode with no Manny is a good one for me. And no Alex and no Joe was nice too. The less focus on the kids, the better. Because none of them can act for shit.

This one felt like old-school MF in some respects and the newer cartoonish MF in others. The Mitch and Cam stuff wasn't bad, but they should really give up on trying to make Mitchell's law career in anyway realistic. Because it's absurd.

Why does Luke "have" to go to college? He's a terrible student and has no academic ambitions. American culture has been pushing the "college is a must" for so long that so few people even question it anymore.

Bolding mine:  I agree 100%.  The last place I would drop Hailey or Luke off is college, dropping some serious coin to do so.  (Let's face it they ain't scholorship material.)  Let Luke work, maybe look into some technical classes, but this college college college rant needs to stop.  Full disclosure:  I work in middle schools and high schools and most of them are NOT college material.  At all.

I knew Jay was going to screw up Gloria's deal - typical alpha male thinking he knowa best.  But Gloria brought it on herself by not admitting she knew Jay was right.  Oh well....taht decision is gonna cost you, Gloria!

Edited April 12, 2018 by Mrs. Hanson

[Blakeston]

I think the writers got together and decided "It will be easier to write this episode if we pretend that prosecuting attorneys are cops."

I love Mira Sorvino, so I'm always glad to see her (even though I didn't recognize her at all.) It's a little weird, though, seeing her play a character who's clearly based on Gwyneth Paltrow. It just makes me think about how much they both suffered at the hands of Harvey Weinstein.

[joanne3482]

24 minutes ago, Mrs. Hanson said:

Bolding mine:  I agree 100%.  The last place I would drop Hailey or Luke off is college, dropping some serious coin to do so.  (Let's face it they ain't scholorship material.)  Let Luje work, maybe look into some technical classes, but this college college college rant needs to stop.  Full disclosure:  I work in middle schools and high schools and most of them are NOT college material.  At all.

BUT I do like it is community college he is looking at. This will give him some exposure to non-4 year degree opportunities or build him up for regular 4 year college. Because so many of us were raised with parents who had the 'college college college' mindset (because their parents did not have the opportunity to go to college so they did it to their kids), it is hard for us to look beyond that for our own kids, especially when you know that even the most entry level professional type jobs need bachelor's degrees.   

[tennisgurl]

"I gave you life!!!!"

I have no idea, but that line cracked me the hell up. I think it must have been the delivery. 

At least Luke is going to a community college, because no way would he be helped by a four year program. He would be miserable, and probably fail anyway, just because education in that form is not for him. I mean, I work in higher ed, I think its great, and necessary to get most entry level jobs even, but there is more to high ed than traditional four year colleges. Community colleges and trade schools are higher education too, and are often a much better option for some students. And thats fine. Its certainly better for Luke. 

Do the writers have no idea how being a lawyer works? Even just from watching legal shows? Because law isnt just one thing, and its pretty hard to jump from one kind of law to another. And being a prosecutor is really hard, even beyond send people to jail. He wont make much money, have a huge case load, and he wont have a badge or whatever they said. I am legit confused here!

[CleoCaesar]

3 hours ago, tennisgurl said:

Do the writers have no idea how being a lawyer works? Even just from watching legal shows? Because law isnt just one thing, and its pretty hard to jump from one kind of law to another.

It's Mitch's ridiculous job hopping that gets me more than anything. First he had a good job at a law firm... that he just up and quit when his boss was making him work weekends. Then he joined Charlie Bingham's office. Which he also up and quit. Then joined the non-profit run by Aisha Tyler's character. Left that too. And now he's going to be a prosecutor?

What?

[Mrs. Hanson]

4 hours ago, tennisgurl said:

"I gave you life!!!!"

I have no idea, but that line cracked me the hell up. I think it must have been the delivery. 

At least Luke is going to a community college, because no way would he be helped by a four year program. He would be miserable, and probably fail anyway, just because education in that form is not for him. I mean, I work in higher ed, I think its great, and necessary to get most entry level jobs even, but there is more to high ed than traditional four year colleges. Community colleges and trade schools are higher education too, and are often a much better option for some students. And thats fine. Its certainly better for Luke. 

Do the writers have no idea how being a lawyer works? Even just from watching legal shows? Because law isnt just one thing, and its pretty hard to jump from one kind of law to another. And being a prosecutor is really hard, even beyond send people to jail. He wont make much money, have a huge case load, and he wont have a badge or whatever they said. I am legit confused here!

I agree again per Luke:  I have two kids....one is clearly more community college material, he  was a good B student, a few C's, he is just unsure of his path.  Money wise, it made sense for him to the CC route, and he LOVES it.  Second one?  Dropped him off at a major university as that is the place for him.  He loves it there.  Too many kids are pushed down the college path when a trade school, military, or other schooling would be the best bet.  

I did love Cam getting stuck in the back while Mitchell is syncing up with the cop!!!  That was funny.  "He gets a nickname?"

[MaryMitch]

18 hours ago, Robert Lynch said:

What did Mira Sorvino do to her face? It looks horrible. Another plastic surgery addict. She was so pretty in the 90s.

 

7 hours ago, Blakeston said:

I love Mira Sorvino, so I'm always glad to see her (even though I didn't recognize her at all.) It's a little weird, though, seeing her play a character who's clearly based on Gwyneth Paltrow. It just makes me think about how much they both suffered at the hands of Harvey Weinstein.

I didn't recognize her at all! She must have had something done to her face between this episode and the last one she was on. I saw her character and thought, "Well, I guess they coudn't get Mira Sorvino again."

[readster]

2 hours ago, CleoCaesar said:

It's Mitch's ridiculous job hopping that gets me more than anything. First he had a good job at a law firm... that he just up and quit when his boss was making him work weekends. Then he joined Charlie Bingham's office. Which he also up and quit. Then joined the non-profit run by Aisha Tyler's character. Left that too. And now he's going to be a prosecutor?

What?

Plus, add in he was doing Pritchard's Legal Work, his own father's business and the employees treated him better than Claire. But nope, can't do it so he quit. Then he works for another firm, they just go ahead and cut a ton of lawyers and then he works for a guy who gets arrested and the company goes up in less than 24 hours? Doesn't work that way either. But oh, Cam who use to be a teacher, can take not only over a position from a music teacher. But then take over the football coach position, get a conference winning team and then is made assistant principal without any type of certificate or master's degree to do that, but that's no problem. 

[Nordly Beaumont]

"Aloe to you, too, but let's stay focuuuuused."

I hate when tv folks just decide they want to be in a certain career or start a business and *boom* success! I hate it as much as I hate the tearful "I really need this job! I'll work real hard!" speech that wins the job despite having zero qualifications.

The thing that bugged me was that Mitch told Cam he had looked at the deadbeat dad's face and saw the guy was scared and Mitch realized he didn't know the whole story (I thought that was a touching moment). Cam addressed it as if Mitch was saying he was weak, when he was actually saying he was empathetic.

[Bobbin]

Luke may be short on book smarts, but he has always had street smarts and has been an instinctive problem-solver (being locked in a dog crate notwithstanding). I got a big charge out of formerly goofy little 10 year old Luke sweeping Claire up off the coach, carrying her into the other room and dumping her next to Phil. The theme of this series has always been chronic miscommunication, both inadvertant and deliberate, between all of the family members. Leave it to Luke to be the one to cut through the b.s. and insist on face-to-face honesty.

[SanDiegoInExile]

16 hours ago, joanne3482 said:

...I do like it is community college he is looking at.

Not sure that a "community" college which grants admission by Your Outstanding Credit Score is really a good idea.  I got the impression that it wasn't a civic sponsored/owned traditional community college, but rather a scamster like "learning opportunity" like Kaplan College, U of Phoenix, or Trump University.  Don't they accept anyone as long as the credit card isn't declined?

[TheLastKidPicked]

21 hours ago, CleoCaesar said:

I

19 hours ago, readster said:

Plus, add in he was doing Pritchard's Legal Work, his own father's business and the employees treated him better than Claire. But nope, can't do it so he quit. Then he works for another firm, they just go ahead and cut a ton of lawyers and then he works for a guy who gets arrested and the company goes up in less than 24 hours? Doesn't work that way either. But oh, Cam who use to be a teacher, can take not only over a position from a music teacher. But then take over the football coach position, get a conference winning team and then is made assistant principal without any type of certificate or master's degree to do that, but that's no problem. 

It's Mitch's ridiculous job hopping that gets me more than anything. First he had a good job at a law firm... that he just up and quit when his boss was making him work weekends. Then he joined Charlie Bingham's office. Which he also up and quit. Then joined the non-profit run by Aisha Tyler's character. Left that too. And now he's going to be a prosecutor?

What?

I used to defend this show when it comes to people just falling into careers with no training or background, but that is getting harder to do.

And on the bolded part, a football coach is by no means a part time position.  Nor is an acting assistant principal,

Either one of those jobs would have his phone buzzing non-stop and keeping him up at night.  Let alone both jobs.

[DrSpaceman]

21 hours ago, CleoCaesar said:

It's Mitch's ridiculous job hopping that gets me more than anything. First he had a good job at a law firm... that he just up and quit when his boss was making him work weekends. Then he joined Charlie Bingham's office. Which he also up and quit. Then joined the non-profit run by Aisha Tyler's character. Left that too. And now he's going to be a prosecutor?

What?

Very annoying.  Seems like he hardly ever works, but of course money is never a problem for these families

 

Just like Phil and his obviously failing, money drain of a magic shop they just bought. 

[Blakeston]

11 hours ago, SanDiegoInExile said:

Not sure that a "community" college which grants admission by Your Outstanding Credit Score is really a good idea.  I got the impression that it wasn't a civic sponsored/owned traditional community college, but rather a scamster like "learning opportunity" like Kaplan College, U of Phoenix, or Trump University.  Don't they accept anyone as long as the credit card isn't declined?

I just took it as a joke about how undiscriminating a typical community college is.

[Mrs. Hanson]

7 minutes ago, TheLastKidPicked said:

I used to defend this show when it comes to people just falling into careers with no training or background, but that is getting harder to do.

And on the bolded part, a football coach is by no means a part time position.  Nor is an acting assistant principal,

Either one of those jobs would have his phone buzzing non-stop and keeping him up at night.  Let alone both jobs.

Okay, per Cam being made an ADMIN after being a Long Term Sub and football coach....teachers would be quitting in protest.  I am a special ed teacher (former daily sub so I get it) and the first thing is this:  the salary difference alone would be, depending on your region, $100-$125 for daily subbing (let's say you have 189 school days, there is $23,635, annually.    A long term sub (three months or so) may make more than that, roughly $200 a day, now we are to $37,000 or so.  An admin makes around $110,000 or so per year.  SO yeah.....to see a sub and football coach get promoted to admin......yeah there would be a revolt.  There are going to be wildly different numbers for different regions, but you get the idea.

Per Luke:  Hey Claire - your son has an aptitude for getting things done and it is good worker.  Maybe get him a job like your dad got YOU a job at Closets Closets Closets?

[Ottis]

I actually thought Gloria was going to one-up Jay in the smarts department by selling both her business AND her family's farm (or at least some poor relatives' land, making them wealthy) to NERP.  And I thought Jay was picking up on this when he sat back and started considering Gloria as she told her story about her "familia" and the river, etc. It was hugely disappointing when it turned out they were both idiots.

The Phil/Claire thing about working out and aging was the better story, and deserved more attention. "Sometimes I'm hungry at 5!" Indeed.

[Mrs. Hanson]

1 hour ago, Ottis said:

I actually thought Gloria was going to one-up Jay in the smarts department by selling both her business AND her family's farm (or at least some poor relatives' land, making them wealthy) to NERP.  And I thought Jay was picking up on this when he sat back and started considering Gloria as she told her story about her "familia" and the river, etc. It was hugely disappointing when it turned out they were both idiots.

The Phil/Claire thing about working out and aging was the better story, and deserved more attention. "Sometimes I'm hungry at 5!" Indeed.

Bolding mine - sometimes I am hungry at five, go to bed at nine and I love comfortable shoes.  (Dansko, I am not THAT old) and I am fine with all those things!!!!

[readster]

4 hours ago, TheLastKidPicked said:

I used to defend this show when it comes to people just falling into careers with no training or background, but that is getting harder to do.

And on the bolded part, a football coach is by no means a part time position.  Nor is an acting assistant principal,

Either one of those jobs would have his phone buzzing non-stop and keeping him up at night.  Let alone both jobs.

EXACTLY! They even tried playing it down that Cam's "office" was the janitor's closet and it wasn't funny. Because there is no way there wouldn't be a main office or at least be part of the PE department. It made no sense and after that it was never shown again. Such a cheap punch line that made no sense at all. 

[biakbiak]

On 4/12/2018 at 3:38 PM, readster said:

his own father's business and the employees treated him better than Claire. But nope, can't do it so he quit. T

That was always supposed to be temporary he was merely helping out because he had two weeks between jobs.

[Mrs. Hanson]

4 hours ago, readster said:

EXACTLY! They even tried playing it down that Cam's "office" was the janitor's closet and it wasn't funny. Because there is no way there wouldn't be a main office or at least be part of the PE department. It made no sense and after that it was never shown again. Such a cheap punch line that made no sense at all. 

Trust me, no football coach I have ever known would settle for a closet for an office.

[Bobbin]

12 hours ago, Blakeston said:

I just took it as a joke about how undiscriminating a typical community college is.

The academic standards at my community college went up and down based on how badly they needed tuition-paying students (which they hotly denied).

In school districts not strictly unionized, teaching requirements and salary may depend on both the district's and teacher's needs. I was an on-call sub for two years while in grad school. The sub certificate was for just 90 days per year, but I had two districts competing for my services, with neither keeping track of the days I was at the other's school, so It was pretty much a full-time gig. Then another district hired me as a full-time teacher with just my sub certificate. Loved it, but never intended to be a teacher. Most teacher certification requirements are shams. Cam may not be credentialed in any way, but he was qualified by experience and demeanor and loved teaching and coaching. Note that he volunteered to coach without pay. Too many administrators are overpaid and underqualified and shouldn't be entrusted with children's welfare. Cam is better than most I worked with, infinitely more compassionate.

Edited April 14, 2018 by Bobbin
Added thought.

[readster]

5 hours ago, Bobbin said:

The academic standards at my community college went up and down based on how badly they needed tuition-paying students (which they hotly denied).

In school districts not strictly unionized, teaching requirements and salary may depend on both the district's and teacher's needs. I was an on-call sub for two years while in grad school. The sub certificate was for just 90 days per year, but I had two districts competing for my services, with neither keeping track of the days I was at the other's school, so It was pretty much a full-time gig. Then another district hired me as a full-time teacher with just my sub certificate. Loved it, but never intended to be a teacher. Most teacher certification requirements are shams. Cam may not be credentialed in any way, but he was qualified by experience and demeanor and loved teaching and coaching. Note that he volunteered to coach without pay. Too many administrators are overpaid and underqualified and shouldn't be entrusted with children's welfare. Cam is better than most I worked with, infinitely more compassionate.

I feel you, I spent 6 years on a para professional license jumping through hoops because the state said I was: "required to have the needed classes" and had to take the damn EdTPA. I finally passed it and then 2 months later, they announced that 4 of the classes that I needed were no longer relevant. But no school would hire me full time if I did not have my license, I worked as an administrator for almost 5 years. However, every time a school I worked at ran into a "budget problem" since they were private and public wouldn't take me in because not having my license yet. I was the first to be cut because I was "official" with the state. However, back to Cam, that's what irks me, because as much of an attention and glory hog he has been the past 9 years. Plus, his ups and downs being back at work since season 5. I get taking the free coaching job, but after winning conference and state titles, and then being given the assistant principal position, which does need an accredited certificate at the least in California goes too far at times. Just like Mitch's constant unemployment the last 4 years. The writers just don't know how a lawyer or educator works. The community college spin with Luke was about as close to realistic as it got, but at the same time the show has beaten over the head how important college is. I have had friends and former students that didn't go to college and were successful who were like Luke. They were just aware they weren't book smart, but could make great business decisions or knew how to work up the chain of command. 

  Instead we get Haily who still thinks she is going to get her "big break" by working for the right person. Alex who belongs in college, but is pissy all the time and then Luke who could seriously run his own company or be the general manager for the country club. Yet, they have little to no success because you know, "it's funny!" 

[SimoneS]

I have said this before on a previous episode: the Pritchards are a wealthy family, not a middle class one. This is why they are all so casual about their jobs/careers. They have no real money problems or worries about pursuing a career. Rich kids like Alex, Haley, Luke and Manny usually don't go to college. They use their family connections to jump from one thing to another until "they find themselves." So I appreciate the show's humor without expecting middle or lower class problems.

Edited April 15, 2018 by SimoneS

[DrSpaceman]

On ‎4‎/‎13‎/‎2018 at 2:53 PM, Ottis said:

I actually thought Gloria was going to one-up Jay in the smarts department by selling both her business AND her family's farm (or at least some poor relatives' land, making them wealthy) to NERP.  And I thought Jay was picking up on this when he sat back and started considering Gloria as she told her story about her "familia" and the river, etc. It was hugely disappointing when it turned out they were both idiots.

The Phil/Claire thing about working out and aging was the better story, and deserved more attention. "Sometimes I'm hungry at 5!" Indeed.

The phil/Claire story resonated with me personally because I am about their age and right when I started watching this show, and when I first saw the episode with their race, I was between jobs for a few months and was working out like 2 hours a day, was in the best shape of my life, at least since high school. 

Now ten years later, between work and getting older, yes, I know exactly what they mean.  I still look OK and still do it when I can, but....not the same. 

[DrSpaceman]

15 hours ago, SimoneS said:

I have said this before on a previous episode: the Pritchards are a wealthy family, not a middle class one. This is why they are all so casual about their jobs/careers. They have no real money problems or worries about pursuing a career. Rich kids like Alex, Haley, Luke and Manny usually don't go to college. They use their family connections to jump from one thing to another until "they find themselves." So I appreciate the show's humor without expecting middle or lower class problems.

I've understood that for a long time.  And its fine, I can overlook it and still like the show.  Its TV, not real life. 

But it just comes back to the shows premise though and the title "Modern Family".  They try to portray it as the new, educated, refined typical family struggling with the everyday things of life like a gay couple and an interracial adoption, intergenerational struggles with a wife as young as Jay's daughter, etc.  And all those are real problems, for this family and many families.  But they aren't truly 'everyday' problems most families worry about primarily in their lives.  Most people are more focused on money and jobs and house payments and car payments and their kids bettering themselves via college, or at least via realistic jobs and opportunities that these families just don't have to worry about, at all. 

And while the show has been great for promoting many progressive ideas and reversing stereotypes in several ways, I honestly am not sure that the writers truly understand the financial problems that just don't exist and can be completely ignored by all these families are not things that can be overlooked so easily by most viewers of the show in their own lives.  Its very out of touch in many ways with the fan base to the point of coming across lately as just insulting. 

[docmatt]

Did they honestly jam a bad Cam/Mitch plot with a mediocre Gloria/Jay plot just to have this title?

[SimoneS]

On 4/15/2018 at 12:31 PM, DrSpaceman said:

And while the show has been great for promoting many progressive ideas and reversing stereotypes in several ways, I honestly am not sure that the writers truly understand the financial problems that just don't exist and can be completely ignored by all these families are not things that can be overlooked so easily by most viewers of the show in their own lives.  Its very out of touch in many ways with the fan base to the point of coming across lately as just insulting. 

The writers aren't ignoring financial problems. From the first episode, they made it clear that the Pritchards are a wealthy family that doesn't have financial problems. When this show started, each couple had one spouse who didn't work, yet they lived comfortably in wealthy to upper middle class neighborhoods in California. They have gone on family vacations to Hawaii, Las Vegas, Australia, DisneyLand, and that dude ranch and house boat and several were during the Great Recession too. I remember watching and thinking these people have tons of money. It was out of touch albeit lots of fun. So I don't agree that the show is insulting its fan base with the latest stories, it is just doing what Modern Family does.

[DrSpaceman]

19 minutes ago, SimoneS said:

The writers aren't ignoring financial problems. From the first episode, they made it clear that the Pritchards are a wealthy family that doesn't have financial problems. When this show started, each couple had one spouse who didn't work, yet they lived comfortably in wealthy to upper middle class neighborhoods in California. They have gone on family vacations to Hawaii, Las Vegas, Australia, DisneyLand, and that dude ranch and house boat and several were during the Great Recession too. I remember watching and thinking these people have tons of money. It was out of touch albeit lots of fun. So I don't agree that the show is insulting its fan base with the latest stories, it is just doing what Modern Family does.

First of all Cam and Mitch have never struck me as rich, in any way, yet they are the ones, with Mitch hardly ever working, that are the worst offenders. 

Jay and Gloria, well Jay, was obviously rich from the beginning of the show and I assumed funded most or all of the vacations they go on.

The Dunphy's never struck me as rich based on the show.  They seem to try to portray them as middle class when convenient and then rich when needed.

But even ignoring all that, even if I am wrong and the writers meant for us assume these are 3 rich families in California, then by that very nature of making them rich, they are indeed ignoring financial problems that most americans have to deal with.  They seem to want us to view them as relatable and common, but at the same time, not prone to any of the financial restrictions 99% of americans can't avoid.  The very nature of such a situation is a hard to ignore unsustainable dichotomy.  They want socially relatable but financially un-relatable.   Those two are just hard to reconcile. 

Which all goes back to why Mitch being once again unemployed and once again searching for about his 5th different type of law to try just completely ridiculous

[biakbiak]

41 minutes ago, DrSpaceman said:

Mitch hardly ever working, that are the worst offenders. 

Mitch has worked constantly he has just jumped from job to job and while prosecutors dont make a ton he is clearly doing well with his own clients if it would be a significant paycut. 

Edited April 17, 2018 by biakbiak

[CleoCaesar]

1 hour ago, DrSpaceman said:

 then by that very nature of making them rich, they are indeed ignoring financial problems that most americans have to deal with.  They seem to want us to view them as relatable and common

The show is Modern Family, not Average Family. I don't see the writers wanting us to view them as relatable and common at all. If that was their goal, they wouldn't be writing about three very well-off Californian families living in multimillion-dollar houses and going on lavish vacations. The families' problems aren't about money and I don't think there's any unspoken rule that they should be.

[jhlipton]

I wasn't sure what I wanted to do "when I grew up", so I went to Junior College (equivalent to Community College) and loved it.  I got almost all my prerequisites out of the way and dabbled in a little bit of everything so by time I went to "real" college, I could concentrate on my major (Computer Science) and be done in two years.  Even if someone is dead-set on going to a 4 year college, JC is a relatively cheap way to start the journey.

[Blakeston]

The writers of this show want to have it both ways. They want the Pritchetts to be rich enough to afford whatever home, living arrangement or gadget is convenient for the plot. But they're also reluctant to just acknowledge that all of the characters are rich.

They're fine acknowledging that Jay is rich. But they'll give Cam and Mitch plotlines where they have money problems - despite them owning two homes in Los Angeles, and not getting any revenue from the second one for a long time because Cam's sister was staying there for free.

And I kept hoping they'd acknowledge that Phil would have to be a wildly successful real estate agent for his family to live the way they did. (Particularly in the early seasons when Claire didn't have a paying job.) But they kept making it seem like he was shut out of the world of the bigshot agents, like Gil Thorpe and Ellen Barkin's character.

As for the kids going to college, I've known a lot of rich people who were adamant that their kids go to college. They dreaded the prospect of telling their rich friends that their kids weren't headed to college after high school.

Edited April 19, 2018 by Blakeston

[CleoCaesar]

On 4/19/2018 at 6:54 AM, Blakeston said:

But they're also reluctant to just acknowledge that all of the characters are rich.

Acknowledge it how, though? To me, just showing us their hugely expensive vacations, etc. that happen so frequently for all of them is acknowledging that they're all very well-off. It's the classic advice of "show, don't tell".

Same goes for Phil. They don't need to say "Phil is a very successful agent" - they show it by having him win realtor awards, referencing his many clients, and showing the multimillion-dollar house his family lives in. What more do we, the viewers, need?

Cam and Mitch lived in half the duplex for most of the show, and only recently bought the upstairs floor (around the time Cam went back to work?). What's the other home they own? Their problems are fairly silly in how they're handled - Mitch switches jobs like he's playing musical chairs - but Mitch is the son of a rich CEO (who gave him the money for the house downpayment) and a practicing lawyer.

[msrachelj]

On 4/11/2018 at 11:09 PM, CleoCaesar said:

Any episode with no Manny is a good one for me. And no Alex and no Joe was nice too. The less focus on the kids, the better. Because none of them can act for shit.

This one felt like old-school MF in some respects and the newer cartoonish MF in others. The Mitch and Cam stuff wasn't bad, but they should really give up on trying to make Mitchell's law career in anyway realistic. Because it's absurd.

Why does Luke "have" to go to college? He's a terrible student and has no academic ambitions. American culture has been pushing the "college is a must" for so long that so few people even question it anymore.

definitely not college material, that kid! why don't his parents help him explore other avenues?

that's why we have no plumbers, electricians etc!! it is a horror trying to find skilled labor for home issues/repairs.. there is pride in being a professional mechanic, plumber, etc etc whatever. society, media and schools need to break the stigma of 'trade schools". and some of them make good money. honest work, needed work, and does not in any way make you less than a white collar worker. makes me mad.

[readster]

19 minutes ago, msrachelj said:

definitely not college material, that kid! why don't his parents help him explore other avenues?

that's why we have no plumbers, electricians etc!! it is a horror trying to find skilled labor for home issues/repairs.. there is pride in being a professional mechanic, plumber, etc etc whatever. society, media and schools need to break the stigma of 'trade schools". and some of them make good money. honest work, needed work, and does not in any way make you less than a white collar worker. makes me mad.

I know what you mean, so many kids could go Blue Collar or Trade School and really fill needed jobs. 

[Mrs. Hanson]

1 hour ago, readster said:

I know what you mean, so many kids could go Blue Collar or Trade School and really fill needed jobs. 

I am a special ed teacher and the whole focus of COLLEGE COLLEGE COLLEGE!!!! is wearing thin.  Not just my populations but MANY kids are not college material, and that is okay.  My dad was an electrician and supported a wife and three kids just fine, thanks.  My own mom told me to "marry a plumber.  He will make great money and if he gets called out after 5:30 it is serious change."  Sadly, a lot of immigrants have the idea that college = success, and in many ways it does, but not for all students.   My grandfather was an OTR truck driver - wife and six kids!  So yeah.....it is doable.

Back to Luke:  No, not college material.  Like I said uphtread - Hey Claire get him a job at your company, then you can helicopter him all day long!!!

Edited April 30, 2018 by Mrs. Hanson

[love2lovebadtv]

On 4/30/2018 at 11:44 AM, Mrs. Hanson said:

I am a special ed teacher and the whole focus of COLLEGE COLLEGE COLLEGE!!!! is wearing thin.  Not just my populations but MANY kids are not college material, and that is okay.  My dad was an electrician and supported a wife and three kids just fine, thanks.  My own mom told me to "marry a plumber.  He will make great money and if he gets called out after 5:30 it is serious change."  Sadly, a lot of immigrants have the idea that college = success, and in many ways it does, but not for all students.   My grandfather was an OTR truck driver - wife and six kids!  So yeah.....it is doable.

Back to Luke:  No, not college material.  Like I said uphtread - Hey Claire get him a job at your company, then you can helicopter him all day long!!!

Luke clearly has good work ethic, too. There are so many options available to him that don't require college. I was wondering if the advisor dropping hints about the school not being all it's cracked up to be. But then, this show does poke fun at community colleges for whatever reason. 

[readster]

36 minutes ago, love2lovebadtv said:

Luke clearly has good work ethic, too. There are so many options available to him that don't require college. I was wondering if the advisor dropping hints about the school not being all it's cracked up to be. But then, this show does poke fun at community colleges for whatever reason. 

When hasn't a show outside of Everwood ever poked fun at community college. Even movies go: "They have been going to the community school for almost 5 yeas and it's a two year school." Yeah, sorry at that point the CC would be: "Get out!" But it's suppose to be funny, right? Because everyone SHOULD go to college, it's just not realistic for everyone. Luke is an example, just like Haily.